Stories From Around The Campfire
by R-I-C-A-R-D
Summary: In between battling darkspawn and assembling an army to fight the archdemon, the Grey Wardens and their companions enjoy some relaxed moments around the campfire. These are some of their stories.
1. Pants

**A/N:** This is intended as a series of unrelated scenes set around the campfire, drawing inspiration from various things in Dragon Age. There may be some spoilers so fair warning. Also my sense of humour is somewhat bent and I hope nobody takes this too seriously.

**1. Pants**

I heard the footsteps of the human as he approached from behind, the creaking of his dusty leather boots, the metallic clicks of his chainmail. By human standards, I'm sure he _thought_ he wasn't making a great deal of noise. But my elven senses are far more sharply tuned to my surroundings than those of most humans.

Also, growing up in Denerim's alienage had honed my senses and skills to a knife edge. The alienage can be harsh and unforgiving - the humans who still believe themselves to be our superiors are quite fond of grabbing lone elven maidens from the streets and...doing things to them. So, from an early age, my senses became quite attuned to anything amiss. Like now.

I sat with my back to the rest of the camp and carried on sharpening my blades with a whetstone. _Skreet skreet skreet. _From behind me, I heard the crackling of flames from the campfire, heard voices in muted conversation. The footsteps drew nearer and I laid aside the whetstone, placing a hand on the hilt of the longsword I took from the corpse of a human back in Denerim.

I allowed my travelling companion to close to within a few yards before I rose to my feet, spun and drew the sword in a series of flud movements. The tip of the blade poked a rather startled Alastair gently in the throat. He stopped dead in his tracks and his mouth fell open but no sounds came out.

"You know what your problem is, Alastair?" I asked him in a bored sounding tone as though I made a habit of holding people at sword point. Alastair's throat worked as his mouth opened and closed. "When you move, you make about as much noise as a large uncoordinated cow stumbling into things," I finished.

"Kalli!" Alastair finally found his voice and it was quite a few octaves higher than normal. I smiled sweetly at him. "Have you gone insane?!" he continued. His face had gone quite pale in the firelight and a few beads of sweat formed on his forehead. I relented and removed the blade; he gasped in relief and almost collapsed.

Sheathing the blade, I resumed my seat, turning my attention back to the whetstone. "Insane?" I mused. "No, at least not very. But back to you and your stumbling around making more noise than a herd of cattle."

"Oh, so it's an entire _herd_, now?" Alastair grumbled and sat on the ground a short distance away.

I nodded, "Oh yes. Honestly, I'm surprised we're all still alive, the way you go about announcing our presence where ever we go. Sound carries, Alastair," I said, observing him from the corner of my eye. He looked hurt, poor man.

I sighed to myself. It was obvious even to me with my relatively limited experience in dealing with humans that the man harboured some affection for me. I saw the way he kept looking at me when he thought I wasn't aware of it. Heard the way his voice changed when he addressed me compared to the way it sounded when he addressed our companions. I believe humans have a term for Alastair's condition: smitten.

Sadly for Alastair, any affection he harboured towards me would never be reciprocated. For Alastair is male and I have always found myself attracted to the fairer sex. It's something about myself that I've never been able to understand, why I feel the way I do about some people but not others but it is part of who and what I am.

"But you did not come over here to have a blade thrust into your face, I trust?" I said as I placed the whetstone inside a small pouch on my belt and sheathed the dagger. Alastair nodded cautiously.

"It's that dwarf," he said and waved an arm at the far side of the camp. The dwarf in question, Oghren was staggering around cursing at the sky and reeling from side to side as he moved. He was very obviously drunk. He was also not in possession of his pants and, in the firelight, my keen gaze allowed me a much clearer view of his parts than I would have wished.

The view was all manner of disturbing. Yet oddly compelling. I averted my gaze and turned back to Alastair, "What about the dwarf?" I asked. Alastair's eyebrows shot upwards and his eyes went wide.

"What about the dwarf?" he repeated, stunned. He waved his arm at Oghren again, as though to emphasise his concerns, "He's DRUNK!" Alastair all but screamed. I raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by this outburst. Hadn't Alastair himself related to me a story, not two days past about drinking competitions among the Grey Wardens? Competitions after which Alastair had awoken beneath a table because he'd had too much to drink?

"Yes," I nodded, feeling a lock of black hair spill over my forehead. Absently, I pushed it behind an ear. "Yes, he is drunk. Your point?"

"He's not wearing any _pants_!" Alastair carried on, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

I nodded, beginning to grasp the situation. "And seeing him without pants makes you feel like less of a man due to the sheer size of his..." I trailed off, nodding at Alastair's codpiece. The poor dear turned scarlet.

"What? What, no! Not at all! Nothing like that!" he protested, face turning a deeper red. I began to fear that his face would catch fire. Which would amuse Morrigan no end. Alastair took several breaths. "I meant to say that I merely wished to protect your ah, sensibilities in the face of such a...display."

"Of manliness," I said and nodded. "Thank you for your concern, Alastair. I shall endeavour to make sure that Oghren keeps his pants on in future."

Alastair looked relieved until I opened my mouth again, "Unless _you'd_ like to have a word with him? You know, man to man?"

"I'd rather not, thank you," Alastair replied stiffly.

I smiled at his discomfort before turning serious again. "I can understand him getting drunk all the time," I nodded at Oghren who by now was engaged in a tug of war with the mabari war hound over a bone the dog had found. "What with him losing his wife and all," I continued, voice low so as to not be overheard. "We did kill her after all."

Alastair frowned, "As I recall, it was _you _who killed Branka."

This is true. The tip of my dagger found the gap between Branka's pauldron and breastplate and well...she didn't get back up after that. I think that had more to do with the deathroot poison I'd smeared on the blade than the blade itself.

"That's right," I turned back to Alastair, "I _did_ kill her because as _I_ recall, by that point, _you_ were slumped on the floor of the cave about to have the brains dashed from your head by a walking lump of rock!"

Before Alastair could defend himself against this accusation, I hastened to add, "And the only reason you're even still alive is because Leliana blindsided that golem and slayed it from behind!" Oh the thought of that comely young human girl sent my heart racing in ways I'd not felt for some time. She was everything a person could want in a potential mate: beautiful _and_ deadly.

As my thoughts turned towards Leliana, so too did my gaze. She sat by the row of tents, knees drawn up to her chest as she gazed up at the stars. It was a clear night and the stars burned brightly high above us all. Perhaps she felt my gaze upon her for her face turned towards mine and, for a brief moment, our eyes met across the flickering campfire. A small smile flit across her lovely face and I felt my own lips twitch upward in answer before we both looked away.

My mouth was suddenly dry and my heart beat rapidly in my breast as though I'd just fought a battle. I became aware of Alastair staring at me. I confess that, for a few moments, I'd completely forgotten he'd been there at all, and I felt all manner of awkward.

What was wrong with me? Why was I allowing my feelings for this woman to grow when we had such a monumental task set before us? Kill the archdemon and halt the blight? Meanwhile, _I_, the person meant to pull together support from across Ferelden was wondering around imagining a certain red-haired human girl as she bathed naked in a lake! Madness!

And I had just the thing to take my mind off it.

I rose to my feet and Alastair followed suit. "Come on," I said, voice brisk, "Let us go speak to Oghren and get him to put his pants back on!"


	2. Cocoon

**A/N:** Thanks to the reviewers so far. Here's another random scene. On another note, I've been writing so much Mass Effect fan-fiction that I need to break myself of my ME writing style and try to get into the heads of DA characters.

**2. Cocoon**

Frequent skirmishes with darkspawn, roving groups of bandits and encounters with Ferelden's local wildlife whilst travelling along the wide cobbled roads meant that, even when encamped, the party could ill afford to relax entirely.

So, prior to setting up camp each evening, the various party members would scout the surrounding lands, searching for any potential problems before allowing themselves their evening meal.

The most recent inductee into the Grey Wardens, Kalli of the Denerim alienage, kept low and moved swiftly, her slender form blending into the high grasses that bordered the road leading into the Brecilian Forest. The woods near their chosen camp site offered the ideal place from which bandits or worse could mount a devastating ambush.

Which would be extremely inconvenient for all concerned, Kalli thought with a wry grin as she moved closer to the woods. Her keen green eyes narrowed as she peered into the cool shadows between the trees ahead of her. The sun would soon disappear for the night below the western horizon but Kalli's vision was a great deal sharper than that of most of her travelling companions. The dwarf and qunari excepted, she thought. Of course, the war hound she'd picked up after the battle at Ostagar could probably smell darkspawn coming long before even she could see them. She cocked her head to one side, and listened. No barks or growls from the war hound.

The elf caught slight movement just at the edge of the woods and immediately she froze, going to one knee and nocking an arrow to her bow. The man-high grasses rustled softly above her head in the gentle breeze. As night claimed dominion over the land, a very large and, no doubt, very poisonous spider crossed the threshold of the woods and paused beneath the large branches of a stately forest giant.

Moving silently, Kalli drew back the bowstring and took aim at the beast...but there was something familiar about the markings on its back and Kalli noted the gleam of intelligence in the creature's multi-faceted eyes.

Kalli took a breath and called out, "Morrigan? That had better be you!" _Because if it isn't, I just ruined the element of surprise and will look a right idiot if that thing eats me._

The spider shimmered with bluish arcane light and was suddenly gone. In its place was the shapeshifter Morrigan, daughter of the so-called Witch of The Wilds, Flemeth. Who, if local legend was to be believed, was centuries old and ate small children. And, quite possibly, large ones.

Morrigan stood beneath the trees and, even given the distance between them, Kalli could see the expression of scorn on the human's face. "Of _course _'tis I!" Morrigan snapped as she began walking through the high grasses, parting them as she walked. Kalli rose from her crouch but kept the bow in hand. Just in case.

"What _else _would you have expected?" Morrigan went on as she drew level with Kalli.

The elf shrugged, leathers creaking slightly with the motion, "Let me think for a moment...oh yes! A giant spider! I take it you were scouting the woods in animal form?"

Morrigan nodded and Kalli went on, voice musing, "You know, you are lucky it's me who found you and not Alastair. Part of me thinks he may have loosed an arrow as soon as he saw you. He doesn't seem to like you much," Kalli observed.

"Nor I him," Morrigan stated, "But you are right of course. 'Tis indeed fortunate that the Chantry-blinded fool didn't find me or I may well have cocooned and eaten him."

Too late, Kalli attempted to steer the conversation away from the subject of the Chantry and Templars. "Those fools in the Chantry allow themselves to become blinded with all the talk of their Maker and His Chant. _Mages must be part of the Circle!" _Morrigan's words all but dripped venom and Kalli rolled her eyes, "And what of mages who refuse to submit to the will of those god-obsessed fanatics?"

Kalli, who had heard all of this before, merely sighed as they moved closer to the camp. _One of these days, I shall learn to tame my tongue._

Morrigan went on, hand gestures becoming more animated as she spoke, "They are declared _apostate_ and hunted down like animals!"

"I'm beginning to regret saying anything at all," Kalli quipped.

Morrigan eyed her carefully before speaking again, "And what of _you_, Kalli of the Grey Wardens? Do _you_ believe I am an apostate in danger of becoming an abomination and that I must be put to the torch for the good of all?"

Kalli stopped at the edge of their chosen camp ground. With the scouting expedition over for another day, the group of adventurers were quickly erecting tents and laying out bedrolls. Alastair stirred something inside a pot over the fire. _Joy_, Kalli noted dryly, _Rabbit stew again_. _I really need to find the time to shoot a deer._

Kalli turned to Morrigan, "I honestly don't believe you would care much about what I think about you. But no, I don't hold to the same view as the Chantry. Keep in mind that the traditions of my people have all but disappeared beneath the will of humans. Only the Daalish still carry on the traditions of old. So no, I do not believe as most do about such things. Besides, your spells and talents have saved us all on occasions too numerous to count."

"Well," Morrigan answered at length, "'Tis gratifying to find myself travelling in the company of one who is not only capable of forming her own opinions but values my abilities as well."

"I think the words you are searching for so desperately are _thank you,"_ Kalli returned with a small smile before leading the way to the camp proper. She was looking forward to removing her boots and getting some sleep.


	3. War Cry

**3. War Cry**

"Well well, what do we have here?" asked the heavily armoured man leading a group of soldiers that the Grey Wardens and company had just crossed paths with.

The day just now drawing to a close had been a long and weary one, what with the usual run-ins with darkspawn and blight-tainted wildlife ranging from rabid raccoons, to wolves and bears. And that was without getting into the 'situation' deep within the Brecilian Forest.

Kalli of the Grey Wardens shook her head. Long had she dreamed of meeting 'real' elves, the ones who'd taken a stand against humans and chosen to live in the woods and forests of Ferelden, carrying on the traditions of old.

When she and her companions had finally encountered the Daalish, they had treated her with barely disguised contempt - as an outsider. The young elven woman from Denerim felt oddly betrayed by their aloofness. She was one of them! Perhaps not steeped in the history and culture of the Daalish but still...And yet, even given the way they merely tolerated the presence of herself and her allies, they _still_ wanted her assistance in a matter involving werewolves.

And the dwarves residing deep beneath the crags of the Frostback Mountains? Allowing a _surfacer _of all people to sort out the matter of who should be their new king? Kalli rolled her eyes at the absurdity of it all. Maybe the dwarves were simply too occupied with drinking ale and fighting to be overly concerned about such mundane problems as an empty throne? She'd have to run that idea past Oghren.

Just once, she'd thought to herself, after speaking with the leader of the Daalish, just once couldn't things be simple and straight forward? As simple as, for example, requesting aid with which to fight the darkspawn and simply having her request granted?

But no. It seemed, by some perverse miracle, that trouble of one sort or another had stricken Ferelden from one end to the other. And, apparently, the people gripped by these troubles were unable or simply unwilling to solve things themselves.

"Do they simply sit around telling themselves _We'll just wait until a heavily armed band of adventurers arrives looking for help and have them do it?_" Kalli muttered to herself as she trudged along the heavily rutted path wending before her.

Her feet ached inside her dusty leather boots, her armour was liberally splashed with sticky drying blood and she simply was in no mood at _all_ to deal with a group of _men _who, judging by the heraldry on their shields, were in the service of Loghain Mac Tir. The very same Loghain Mac Tir who, at a crucial moment during the battle at Ostagar, had ordered his army to retreat, leaving to die King Cailan, his troops and Duncan, the Grey Warden who'd recruited her in the first place.

If Kalli was brutally honest, the death of the human king didn't elicit any tears from her. Yes, he was the ruler of the land in which she lived and he had seemed to be a decent enough person...for a human, if a little over-eager for battle. But, in the end, it was by his will and that of his predecessors that so many of her people lived as they did.

She felt badly for Duncan's loss though - a warrior such as he did not deserve such a betrayal and she well knew that Alistair felt Duncan's passing keenly indeed.

So, coming upon a group of men loyal to the self-serving Loghain and obviously intent on making her life even more difficult than it already was did nothing to improve Kalli's disposition.

"Well well, what do we have here?" the lead soldier asked mockingly. "It looks like a couple of stray Grey Wardens! I suppose you do know that, by the order of Loghain, all Wardens are declared outlaw?"

Kalli cast a glance at Alistair, "I told you that you should have sold that shield of yours," she murmured. Alistair's shield bore the crest of the Grey Wardens. "Or at least painted over it."

"I won't hide what I am, Kalli," Alistair replied and drew his weapon. The others followed suit, Morrigan and Wynne backing away to give themselves more room to wield their spells. The mabari war hound, which Kalli had taken to simply calling Dog, snarled and growled at the men arrayed before them.

Kalli held up her empty right hand, forestalling an immediate blood-bath. "Perhaps we can come to some kind of arrangement that _doesn't _involve us hacking each other into small bloody pieces? I'd like that," she told the plate-armoured sergeant before her. As she spoke, her gaze took in the sheer bulk of the man. He easily towered over her slight frame. Indeed, he was almost as tall as the small mountain that was Sten.

It wasn't that she was afraid of a fight but if these people could be reasoned with, why not attempt it? But the human with his canted nose and small, piggy eyes went and spoiled it all by opening his mouth and saying, "Oh we can come to an_ arrangement_ all right. How about it, boys?" he asked in a loud voice, eliciting hoots and cheers from his men, "How's _this_ for an _arrangement?_ You get down on your _knees_ and-"

An arrow-head buried itself in the man's throat right before he could follow up the '_and'_ though Kalli had a fairly good idea what would have come next. On her knees before a group of men? Well, she doubted it would be so she could polish their boots. Unless they had a fetish for shiny metal armour.

Blood spurted from the wound in the man's throat and he made a series of choked bubbling sounds before pitching forward and crashing to the ground on his face. The rest of the men stood staring in shock at their suddenly very dead leader as his blood ran out at a rapid rate.

Without looking around, Kalli said loudly, "Thank you, whoever that was!"

"The Maker protects," was all Leliana said in reply as she nocked another arrow to her bow. Alongside her, Zevran also raised his bow.

Kalli drew her blades and charged in at the enemy.

From behind her, Oghren bellowed, "FOR ORZAMAR!"

Running past her to meet his chosen opponent blade to blade, Alistair shouted, "FOR THE GREY WARDENS!"

Sten bulled his way towards Loghain's men, greatsword raised above his head and shouted...wait wait, I tell a lie. It's _Sten_; he didn't shout anything.

Bolts of lightning and arcane power arced in from the edges of the melee as Morrigan and Wynne added their spells to the battle. A soldier halted, frozen solid in mid-swing as Morrigan unleashed the equivalent of ten winters' worth of cold upon him. Seizing the opportunity, Alistair slammed his shield into the corpsicle, shattering it into chunks of snap-frozen meat.

"Impressive," Kalli complimented him as she rammed her dagger hilt-deep into her opponent's chain-mail clad chest, following up with a strike with the longsword in her other hand that decapitated the man. Even as the head tumbled away from the body, the eyes blinked in shock several times. Kalli left the dagger where it was; she'd retrieve it later.

Dog leaped upon yet another man, driving him to the ground and lunging at his head. The man grabbed Dog around the throat, attempting to push his head away but it was a losing battle. With a start, Kalli realised that the man Dog was attempting to maul was the only surviving soldier.

"Dog!" she called, "Heel!"

The mabari immediately leaped from the man and trotted to her side. Absently, Kalli pat his head. The man attempted to rise but appeared to think better of it, observing the band of blood-spattered people before him. "I don't suppose you'll let me surrender?" he asked calmly.

"Kill him now and let us be done with it!" Morrigan answered.

Kalli held her sword in a guard position as she addressed the man, "She _does_ present a compelling argument, don't you think?"

"Look," the man said, sounding less calm now. His eyes moved from side to side in his head as he took in the ragtag group of travellers. "For what it's worth, I apologise for what the sergeant said to you, that was uncalled for. But I have a wife...children. I would like to see them again."

"Why do you let this man persist in living?" Morrigan snapped in exasperation. To her, the situation at hand was simple: the man had attacked them and she did not see why she should suffer him to live any longer. Yet this irritating Grey Warden was allowing him to plead his case. Wife and children? Morrigan hissed out a breath through her teeth. 'Twas up to her, the man would have been dead a dozen times over by now.

"He has surrendered, Morrigan," Leliana put in. "To kill him now would be...wrong."

"Whereas killing him during the battle would be different in what way?" Morrigan shot back at the ignorant Chantry-girl. "He would be dead either way!"

Leliana seemed about to protest further when Kalli spoke again, "My thinking here is this: you want to keep living, as do we all, yes?"

The man nodded jerkily. Kalli went on, "I propose a trade: your life for information. I would like you to tell me what you know of Loghain's plans and troop movements."

The man's shoulders slumped, relief clearly etched on his stubbled face. It wasn't long at all before he'd told what he knew.

---

In camp that night, as the rest of the group slept, Sten approached Kalli as she stood by the fire. The evening had turned chill and she held her hands out towards the crackling flames, enjoying the warmth. She looked up as Sten arrived.

Without preamble, the qunari said, "You are a woman."

Kalli raised an eyebrow, cast a look down at her lithe form clad as it was in figure-hugging leather and looked back up at Sten. "And you are only just noticing this now?" she asked, a smile tugging the edges of her mouth upwards. Sten was so literal and awkward in his speech that she took a perverse delight in needling him, "What was your first clue? The length of my hair, the higher-pitched nature of my voice or the fact that I possess breasts?"

She paused before adding, "Are you making a pass at me, Sten? If you are, you will have to get in line behind Alistair, Zevran and Leliana."

If the qunari was embarrassed by the elf's words, he did not show it. "No," he said.

"No as in you are _not_ making a pass at me or no as in you do not wish to get in line?"

The qunari said nothing and after several moments he turned and walked away. Kalli shrugged and turned back to the fire.

---

**A/N: **With this chapter, I wanted to poke fun at the way, in games like Dragon Age, the player is expected to solve everybody's problems and the fact that the NPCs seem to always just be standing around waiting for the player to arrive.

And Sten? The "You are a woman." conversation from the game was just begging for a send up. So I sent it up. Without having read the entirety of the growing number of DA fics, I don't know if that idea has already been done. If it has, apologies, there was no intent to plagiarise anything.


	4. Guard

**4. Guard**

As days trickled into weeks, seemingly with no visible end to the blight at hand, the band of adventurers thrown together by fate established a series of routines, comforting in their sheer normality.

Routines like setting up camp at the close of each day, and breaking camp at the dawn of each new day. Hunting game for their dinner and trading stories of their lives and adventures prior to their coming together to fight the darkspawn.

Routines like taking turns to stand guard at the edge of the camp as the others slept, ensuring that the camp was as safe a haven from darkspawn, roaming beasts and bands of marauders as it could be.

Leliana lay on her back, unable to sleep and listenend to the crackling of the fire and the soft sounds of the others as they shifted about in their sleep. Or snored, as was the case with Oghren. The young bard sighed, half in annoyance at herself for her inability to sleep after such a tiring day, and half in wistfulness as her thoughts turned to the group's de facto leader - the Grey Warden Kalli.

Leliana admired the elf's courage in the face of adversity and, though the mantle of leadership seemed to not sit well with her, she never shirked from her duties or attempted to bully her companions into falling into line with her views. Instead, Leliana was pleased to learn that Kalli often sought out the advice of the other party members before deciding on a course of action.

The bard sighed again as she admitted to herself that it was not only Kalli's courage she admired...it was _her. _Her entire being. Kalli all but radiated strength and conviction and, Leliana felt, as long as she travelled with the elf, she would be safe and not just from physical harm. When she was with Kalli, Leliana found she was able to open up about things she could never tell another soul, secure in the knowledge that the elven woman would not judge her harshly.

"By the Maker," Leliana whispered to herself, "she even tolerates my ramblings on such things as shoes!" Knowing that sleep would be some time in coming, Leliana quietly rose from her bedroll, pulled her travelling cloak about her shoulders to ward off the night chill and pulled on her boots.

The party members routinely slept in their clothes or armour, knowing that being able to move quickly to arms in the event of an ambush was more important than a comfortable night's rest. With a final glance around at the camp to ensure she wasn't being watched, Leliana took up her arms and headed away from the camp in the direction Kalli had taken when she'd left to take her turn keeping watch.

---

The night sky was bereft of clouds and, given the full moon and star-studded heavens, Kalli found she had ample light in which to survey the camp's perimeter. So far at least, the night had proven calm and Kalli was grateful for such small mercies. The elf listened to the soft sounds of owls and other nocturnal creatures as they played out the deadly dance of predator and prey bathed in the light of the moon and stars.

The only thing she did not like about the quiet was the fact that it gave her too much time to think about the position she'd been thrust into. She was no leader of men, no saviour of Ferelden and the reasons why the others deferred to her judgement and followed her lead continued to elude her even after much thought during these quiet moments.

Duncan should have been the one to formulate battle strategies and appeal for aid from across Ferelden to combat the blight. But Loghain's actions had killed the last best hope the land had for continued survival, may the old gods curse his house. Duncan's loss should have placed Alistair in charge for was he not the most senior remaining Grey Warden and with greater experience in the ways of battle?

Even Morrigan, with her admitted lack of knowledge of human society, had found it odd that Alistair should defer to the novice Grey Warden and had said as much to him. The senior Grey Warden had seemed to be unable to come up with a clear answer on the subject. Kalli shook her head at the absurdity of it all.

If somebody had told her, prior to this, that she would be leading a diverse band of companions including several humans, a dwarf, a qunari and a _dog_, she would have laughed in their face before asking what they'd been drinking and whether she could have some.

She smiled fondly at the thought...and froze. Was that the sound of a small twig snapping? Carefully placing each step, Kalli slipped deeper into the shadows cast by the tree she'd taken position beneath.

Concealed beneath the tree, Kalli cocked her head to one side, willing her ears to be more sensitive to the night's sounds. She started slightly as a voice called softly to her. Leliana's.

"Kalli? Are you there?" she called.

Kalli released a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding and allowed herself the luxury of relaxing slightly. Stepping into the light, she observed as the taller human moved swiftly towards her, cloak wrapped around herself. As she drew closer, the moonlight seemed to dance in Leliana's eyes and for a moment, Kalli was struck by the human's grace and beauty.

"Leliana, is something wrong at camp?" Kalli asked, forcing her mind back to the business of keeping watch.

"No," Leliana replied, voice soft, "I was simply unable to sleep and thought...you might like some company?"

Kalli fought a brief internal battle with herself. Yes, she would like some company. Especially Leliana's but could she allow herself to become distracted from keeping watch?

For, she told herself, she _would _become distracted and she did not think the others would appreciate being ambushed in their sleep by rampaging hordes of darkspawn because she and Leliana were busy making eyes at each other. No, they would not appreciate that at _all_.

Leliana saw the moment of indecision in her friend's eyes and, feeling downhearted said, "I shall leave if you think it best."

Kalli came to a decision. What was the harm in Leliana remaining? After all, wouldn't _two_ pairs of eyes be better for keeping watch than one? So she rationalised the situation to herself.

"No, Leliana. I _would_ like some company." _Especially yours_ Kalli thought but did not say. To say such would only cheapen things between them, she felt.

Kalli resumed her position beneath the large tree, Leliana beside her and the two trained their gazes on the surrounding landscape, looking for anything that did not fit.

Though they did not speak, each drew comfort and peace from the other's presence. At length, Kalli spoke softly, "Can I tell you something?"

Leliana nodded and Kalli went on, "I...often question myself. I am not cut out for this, I feel. Being a leader, having people relying on me."

Tentatively, Leliana placed her hand on Kalli's shoulder, gently turning her so she could look into her eyes, "Never doubt yourself, Kalli. Whether you believe it or not, fate has placed you here for this purpose."

Kalli shook her head, feeling helpless. Leliana spoke quietly yet earnestly, "I believe in _you_, Kalli. I have faith, not just in the Maker but in _you._I believe that you will steer us through this," Leliana took Kalli's right hand in both of hers, placed it over her own chest. "I believe it in _here."_

Kalli's breath caught in her throat; she felt stunned by this admission. Leliana's hands were warm and Kalli felt her heart beat. It seemed to echo the quickening beat of her own heart and Kalli gasped slightly.

A distant voice inside her mind suggested that perhaps now would be a fine time to remove her hand from Leliana's chest and maybe get back to the task at hand?

Another voice suggested that perhaps it would a good idea to _not_ remove her hand and instead-

Both Kalli and Leliana flinched at the sound of beating wings as, startled by something, a bird took flight nearby. A chill that had nothing to do with the coolness of the air stole along Kalli's spine.

"Something's out there," she hissed, hurriedly pulling away from Leliana. "Run back to the camp and alert the others."

"What about you?" Leliana gasped as the unmistakeable sounds of darkspawn on the move were carried to them by the breeze.

Kalli gave Leliana a fierce smile, removed a flask of acid from her pack and gave the contents a gentle shake saying, "I'm going to show them what happens to people who interrupt quiet moments with those closest to me."

Before Kalli could over-think it, she quickly brushed her lips against Leliana's. Afterward, she wouldn't be sure who was the more shocked by her impulse - herself or Leliana. "Go," she urged the bard, voice husky. Leliana nodded jerkily, turned on her heels and sprinted for camp.

As she ran hard for the camp, arms pumping by her sides, heart pounding inside its cage of ribs, Kalli's voice called out in a mocking shout, "Hey! Tall, dark and ugly! Over here!" _Maker protect her! _Leliana prayed as sounds of battle rang out across the night.

Leliana ran back into the warm, comforting glow of the campfire, and almost collided with Wynne. The elder mage had awoken to find Leliana missing and had been about to seek her out. The look on the girl's face spoke volumes.

"Leliana? What is it, dear?" Wynne asked as Leliana began yelling for the others to wake up. They rose, grumbling irritably.

"Kalli!" Leliana gasped, "Darkspawn!"

No further explanation was needed. Weapons at the ready, the party moved as one to where Leliana had last seen Kalli. She prayed they would get there in time.

---

As Leliana took to her heels and ran for the others, Kalli gleefully tossed aside all her concerns over whether she truly was meant for this and whether or not things between her and Leliana could truly work. Instead, she felt herself come fully alive as her heart pumped adrenaline through her veins.

Whatever else might happen and whatever the future held, there was one thing Kalli was sure of: if she was going to die here, she was going to take as many of the bastards with her as she could.

"Hey!" she shouted at the advancing group of darkspawn, "Tall, dark and ugly! Over here!"

It was a relatively small scouting party - a pair of hurlocks leading three genlocks but the odds were in their favour.

Or they would have been if Kalli was the type to fight fair. She hurled the acid flask at the foremost darkspawn. The flask shattered, spraying the beasts with corrosive acid. They roared and bellowed in pain as the acid melted their flesh. Kalli nocked an arrow to her bow and loosed a shot that took the leftmost hurlock in the eye. The arrow bore deep into the creature's head, killing it instantly.

The surviving hurlock and the three genlocks closed in to surround her as Kalli dropped the bow and drew her blades. She parried an axe blow from the hurlock with one weapon, ducked low beneath another swing and lashed out with the dagger in her other hand, opening a wound in the closer of the three genlocks. The darkspawn fell back howling and tried to push its insides back inside.

The hurlock punched out with its shield, catching Kalli in the head with a dull thud. The edge of the metal shield opened a cut above her right eye and she reeled backward, dazed. Confident of its imminent victory, the hurlock growled out an order to the rest - this one was his alone to slay. Reluctantly, the genlocks acquiesced.

The hurlock tipped its head back and gave a triumphant roar, raising the axe to deliver the death blow. The blow didn't land.

Only half-aware of her surroundings, Kalli was distantly cognizant of the fact that a number of arrow shafts seemed to have suddenly sprouted from the hurlock's chest. More arrows arced overhead to find new homes in the bodies of the genlocks. They slumped to the ground, breathing their last. The elf stood, reeling back and forth, barely staying on her feet; the blow from the hurlock's shield had very nearly fractured her skull.

Her companions soon arrived, some staying by her side to deliver aid, some sliding blades through the darkspawn, making sure they were all dead. Hands, gentle but firm lowered her to the ground and Kalli's eyes looked past Wynne as she drew upon healing magics and instead focused on Leliana. The young woman's eyes glimmered with unshed tears as she knelt alongside Kalli and stroked her face.

For Leliana and Kalli, the entire world seemed to disappear in that moment - their companions standing over them, the acrid smell of spilled darkspawn blood, Wynne's ministrations - until all that was left was Leliana's lightly calloused fingers as they stroked Kalli's face and the expression in her eyes. Kalli raised her hand and with it, caressed the back of Leliana's.

In that moment, no words were spoken by either of them, for words were unnecessary.

Everything that needed to be said was there, in their eyes. It was love.

---

**A/N: **I don't usually 'do' romancey-type stuff but I had this idea in my head and it felt right, so I went with it. Also, I hope people aren't too weirded out by the girl/girl pairing. I figure, it's in the game already, so why not write about it?

I may add more to this later, as I keep playing Dragon Age but, for now, I think I'll leave things as they stand, before I end up writing something stupid and ruining it.

As usual, reviews are appreciated. Rock on, peoples.


	5. Battle's Eve

**A/N: Spoiler Alert **Inspiration for this came after the scene in which the player learns that only a Grey Warden can kill the archdemon...and in doing so, dies in the process. I had expected some kind of deep and meaningful scene between the PC and romantic interest after that, but all I got was Morrigan's ritual. So here I go with my own attempt, and my take on the Landsmeet.

**Battle's Eve**

Riordan's words left Kalli in a state of shock-induced numbness. If anybody other than a Grey Warden struck the archdemon a killing blow, the taint would simply pass from the demon to the nearest darkspawn and the Blight would continue.

"The archdemon is effectively immortal," Riordan noted calmly. To truly end the Blight, that final blow had to be struck by a Warden, someone who had mastered the taint of the darkspawn. In doing so, the taint would pass from the archdemon to the Warden...killing them both.

Kalli turned her eyes, green and bloodshot from the hardships of recent times to the newly-inducted Warden, Loghain Mac Tir. The young elven woman felt bile rise in her throat and swallowed it back with a grimace. To his credit, Loghain seemed to take well the news that at least one of their number would have to die in order to break the Blight. More likely, they would _all_ die.

Briefly, Kalli wondered how Alistair might have reacted to these revelations were he still here. Alistair, however was not here. Unbidden, sharp, painful memories of the Landsmeet came to the forefront of the elven Warden's mind, shifting her focus from the current proceedings.

---

Events at the Landsmeet had spiralled well out of everybody's control and Kalli had found herself unwilling to allow Loghain to be executed even after besting him in single combat. Despite the Teyrn's treachery, he obviously harboured a great love for the nation of Ferelden and had impressed the Warden with the passion of his oratory.

Anora, Loghain's daughter and Queen to the late King Cailan had offered a compromise, hoping to avoid having her father's head separated from his shoulders: Loghain would submit himself to the taint and undergo the Joining. Either the ritual would kill him in which case Kalli and Alistair would have had their vengeance or Loghain would live and would fight the archdemon alongside the others.

To say that Alistair had not taken this turn of events well was an understatement on a par with saying "Fireballs are hot."

An outraged and impassioned Alistair had railed at Kalli, Anora, the gathered nobles, "Becoming a Grey Warden is meant to be an honour, not a punishment!"

Kalli had felt strangely unmoved at his shouted declarations. Yes, Loghain _had _abandoned the King's forces and the Grey Wardens at Ostagar, handing the darkspawn a major victory as well as killing the King and hundreds of loyal troops but Kalli also realised that the men and women of Ferelden would be far more likely to follow _Loghain_ into battle than herself and had attempted to explain as much to Alistair.

"Alistair, please hear me. I understand how you feel-"

Alistair cut her off, "No! You _don't_ understand how I feel! Duncan was like...a father to me, and _he_," Alistair jabbed a trembling finger at Loghain who stood tall amidst the chaos, "_Murdered him!"_

The human Grey Warden trembled with a rage held barely in check, voice wracked with anguish, "How can you stand by and allow this to happen? After all we've been through?"

Kalli lost patience with him then. Did he truly believe that he was the only one among them to have suffered loss and known grief? "You say I do not know how you feel?" Kalli retorted, face heating with anger, "I've witnessed friends I grew up with, slaughtered by _men_ simply because they were bored and looking for some sport! My own arranged marriage was beset by men who raped and murdered members of my wedding party! Do _not_ presume to tell me that I do not understand how you feel! I _do_!"

The smaller elf strode up to Alistair and stood on her toes so they were face to face, eyes separated by mere inches, "Listen to me!" Kalli hissed, feeling her own anger rise, "This is bigger than you or I or any of us!" Holding Alistair's gaze she swept her right arm in an arc, indicating the assembled nobles, who had fallen silent to observe this exchange.

"Even if we kill Loghain, what will that accomplish? Do you really think his armies will fall into line and follow _me_ or you just because we are _Grey Wardens?"_

Alistair opened his mouth to speak and Kalli saw his throat quivering, saw the sheen in his eyes and almost relented. Almost. "We _need _Loghain. _Ferelden _needs Loghain and I need _you_ to accept that!"

Voice low, Alistair ground out, "I will not. I will not stand for this!"

Kalli swallowed hard, hating herself for what she was about to say next but knowing it had to be said. By some minor miracle, Kalli and her companions had united the forces of Ferelden and she needed her own party united as well, or all was lost.

The elven Warden closed her eyes, breathed deeply through her nostrils and hissed the breath out through her teeth. Opening her eyes, she looked up at Alistair and said in as cold a voice as she could muster, "Then go. Either we stand united against the archdemon or we shall all perish. Either stay and back me up or go. At this point, I care not which."

Kalli's words may as well have been a dagger to Alistair's heart. He gasped, expression registering physical pain at her words. Alistair's lips trembled for a space of several heartbeats and, like a distant rumble of thunder in the background, the assembled arls and bannorn muttered to each other.

Finally, Alistair's features hardened into an expressionless mask. He turned on his heel and strode out, booted footfalls echoing from the flagstones. Nobles and men-at-arms alike hastily parted to let him pass. He left and didn't look back.

Kalli's shoulders slumped and, as the enormity of what she had just done hit her, her chest hitched with silent sobs. Leliana fought her way through the crowd, to be by her companion's side. At Leliana's urging, Kalli allowed herself to be led from the Landsmeet chambers, fighting to regain control of herself.

The elf feared she would lose herself amid the swirling maelstrom of feelings - anger at herself and Alistair, a deep sadness for her treatment of him, fear that even after all they had accomplished, it may still be all for nought. And finally, a weariness so deep she felt she could no longer put one foot in front of the other.

In the stone-throated hallway outside the Landsmeet chamber, Kalli slumped back against a wall, illuminated by the guttering torch above her head and slid to the floor, legs no longer able to support her.

Wordlessly, Leliana lowered herself to the floor beside the over-wrought Warden, not feeling the coolness of the stones as she folded her legs beneath herself. Leliana pulled Kalli into an embrace, much as a mother would soothe a child. At first, Kalli resisted, then allowed herself to take what comfort she could from the bard's presence.

Time passed, though neither woman was fully aware of it. A roar of approval from the nobles could be heard as Anora was declared Queen of Ferelden. Kalli flinched at the sound and, eyes squeezed shut, nestled her head against Leliana's neck..

Eventually, the elven Warden pulled away from Leliana and managed a small smile, though her face was streaked with tears. "I think that's the longest you've ever gone without saying a word," she said jokingly.

Leliana laughed softly and helped Kalli to her feet.

---

Now, she stood in Riordan's temporary chambers within Redcliffe Castle along with Loghain and looked steadily at the Teyrn's face, searching his expression. A small tic twitched beneath Loghain's right eye. That was all.

Kalli looked back to Riordan. _Now I suppose we draw straws to see which of us gets to perform the deed,_ a voice in her mind whispered sardonically.

The elven Warden's thoughts flashed momentarily to Leliana and Wynne's warning to not allow herself to become close to her. For precisely this reason, Kalli now realised. The elder mage must have known or at least suspected that this situation would come to pass.

_She knew...and didn't tell me._ Kalli thought, a wave of bitterness welling up within her. Of course, Wynne _had _attempted to warn off Kalli and prevent her from further pursuing a relationship with Leliana but her words had come too late. By that point, Grey Warden and bard alike had developed an extremely deep connection that went well past a mere physical bond. No, Kalli's heart belonged to Leliana. And Leliana's belonged to her.

If asked before now whether she would lay down her life for Leliana, Kalli would have answered _yes _immediately and with utter conviction. Now? If she was completely and brutally honest with herself, Kalli had to admit that she didn't want to die to save the land, not if it meant abandoning Leliana.

Why should such things be placed soley on _her_ shoulders? Yes, such thoughts were selfish and yes, being a Grey Warden meant placing her own wants and desires last in the pursuit of a greater good but did she have to deny herself love and affection and the simple joys of life? This was the _true_ reason the Joining was kept a secret from the population: who would willingly sign their own death warrant, knowing what she knew now?

Kalli swallowed hard, felt her heart beating harder than normal, and said in a surprisingly level voice, "Then it is up to all of us to stop the archdemon."

_And may the old gods forgive me but I hope it is Loghain who strikes that final blow. _Let him have the honour and glory and 'noble death' such a thing would grant him, she would be content as long as she was by Leliana's side.

When Riordan spoke next, he offered a lifeline of sorts to both herself and Loghain, "In times past, the oldest Grey Warden would decide who amongst them was to strike the killing blow. I am the oldest and the taint will not spare me very much longer." Riordan looked both Kalli and Loghain in the eyes, "I will attempt to strike the final blow but it will be up to you both to carry on should I fall."

_He speaks as though commenting on the weather_, Kalli marvelled and felt shamed by her earlier thoughts. Truly, this was a man for other Wardens to aspire to.

"I understand, Brother," Kalli replied and Loghain too nodded in acceptance.

Riordan nodded to them both. "If you will both excuse me, tomorrow will be a busy day," he smiled at his own understatement, "And it would be best if we all got some rest."

As she and Loghain filed out the door, the human turned to her. "I will see you on the field of battle," he said simply and left for his chambers. Kalli nodded silently at his retreating back. Then the shakes set in.

_You need to speak to Leliana_, Kalli told herself. _Tell her the truth. She deserves as much. _Muscles still twitching, the Warden closed her hands into fists to quell the trembling and strode down the hall to where she had last seen Leliana.

The flame-haired bard stood in the bustling main hall of Redcliffe Castle, mentally composing a ballad to celebrate the unifying of Ferelden's peoples to combat the darkspawn. Leliana watched as the various knights and servants loyal to Arl Eamon made final preparations for the morrow's march to Denerim. _All these people_, she marvelled, _putting aside their differences. It is wonderful!_

Leliana looked up and smiled as the woman who had helped to make it all possible entered the hall. Though dark circles marked her eyes and her face was more drawn and paler than usual, to Leliana, the elf was still the loveliest person she had ever met.

"I thought you'd be asleep by now," Leliana said as Kalli came to a halt before her. Upon seeing the expression on her face, Leliana's tone became worried, "What is wrong? Has something happened?"

Uncaring of the glances from the men coming and going, Kalli took Leliana's hands in hers and spoke in urgent tones, "I must speak with you, before the..." Kalli paused, taking in a deep breath. She released it slowly, "Before the battle. I...have to tell you something."

"Of course," Leliana replied. For several moments they stood quietly, still gripping each other's hands as Kalli marshalled her thoughts.

Kalli looked up at Leliana's face and spoke carefully, "Leliana, I want you to know that I cherish the time we've had together...and I," Kalli trailed off, an exasperated expression on her face, "Damn it! Why can't I say what I feel?"

Leliana gently pulled the elven woman towards her, stroking a hand across her face, "You do not need to say it. I _know_ how you feel, Kalli and I feel it too. I have never felt as happy or as safe as I do when you are by my side."

Kalli closed her eyes, unable to look upon Leliana, "I love you," she finally managed to say. She opened her eyes, saw the happiness and joy in Leliana's face and thought her heart would burst, "I love you but I have to ask you...ask you to leave."

"What? No! I will not leave you!" Leliana spoke quietly but fiercely.

Kalli shook her head, feeling more tears well up and roughly wiped them aside, "Only a Grey Warden can fell the archdemon," she explained, "Riordan will attempt to slay the beast but in doing so, the taint will pass from it to him...and he will die." Kalli looked into Leliana's eyes and watched as the awful truth of the matter dawned on her. "If Riordan falls during the battle, Loghain and I will have to finish things."

"Then let Loghain kill the archdemon!" Leliana all but spat, "Maker forgive me but after everything that man has done..."

"Leliana, if there was some other way, I would take it with both hands but I feel I must be honest about this. I cannot lie to you. If I fall-"

The bard cut off her words as she gently grasped the sides of Kalli's face in both hands and kissed her. The kiss lasted for many moments and, when they parted, both human and elf were breathless.

"No more words," Leliana said.

Kalli shook her head, determined to see this through, though she yearned to feel Leliana's lips on hers again. "Please, listen to me. If things go badly on the morrow, do not spend the rest of your life mourning my loss. I'm asking,_ begging_ you, live your life and be happy. If I have to die, then I want to die having known someone as wonderful and beautiful as you."

In answer, Leliana took Kalli's right hand in her left and gently pulled her in the direction of the chamber set aside for the elven Warden's use.

---

"Well, isn't this a suitably cliched moment?" Morrigan said idly as she turned away from the fireplace in Kalli's chamber. The mage smirked at the expressions of shock on the faces of the Chantry-girl and Grey Warden, "Make love tonight for tomorrow we may die, hmm?"

"Morrigan-" Kalli began.

"Why are _you _here?" Leliana finished.

"Certainly not to witness _you _two fawning all over each other," Morrigan replied coolly. Before either woman could respond, she continued, "What if, Kalli of the Grey Wardens, I were to offer you the chance to cheat death on the morrow? Would you take it?"

"What are you talking about?" Kalli asked harshly.

Morrigan smiled, amber eyes seeming to glow in the firelight, "I know that, in order to slay the archdemon, a Warden must be sacrificed, and that it may well be _you."_

"How could you possibly know that?" Leliana demanded.

Smiling mockingly, Morrigan folded her arms over her chest, "I know a great many things that _you_ do not, blinded as you are in your devotion to your Maker."

Leliana stepped forward a pace, voice rising, "The Maker-" she began but subsided as Kalli laid a hand on her arm.

"Perhaps it would be best if I spoke with Morrigan alone," the elf suggested in gentle tones, hoping to prevent a brawl fueled with religious fervour.

"Yes, 'twould be for the best," Morrigan nodded, "Besides, this shall not take long and I have no wish to stand in the way of what will no doubt be a night of passion fueled by desperation as you both cling to what little time is left to you."

Leliana's mouth fell open as Kalli walked with her to the door, whispering, "Everything will by fine, Lel." The bard left and Kalli swung shut the heavy metal-banded door.

With the door shut, Kalli spun to face Morrigan, face contorted with anger, "Speak your piece and get out!" the elf all but snarled.

"My, such hostility," Morrigan spoke mockingly, "And I was just beginning to think that we were becoming friends." The witch raised a hand palm outward as the elf's face hardened. "I offer you a way to slay the archdemon on the morrow...and survive."

Kalli knew there had to be any number of hidden traps behind this offer but, all she could say in reply was, "Tell me more..."

**The End**

Yes, I said at the end of the last chapter that I'd probably leave the fic as it was but...  
Special thanks to vshard for her input on this.


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